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Chapter 21

Jason found Elizabeth in the kitchen getting out the mugs. The visit with Johnny and Emily had been nice. The boys had played in Cameron's room until it was time for Ben to go. Tomorrow they would go next door after dinner. There was even talk of a possible sleepover in the coming weeks. Everyone assumed it would be held here, but Elizabeth thought it would work.

"Hot chocolate." Jason said reaching for the tin. She skipped lunch so she could splurge.

"Okay." She got out the marshmallows and then set to work. "Would you like to talk now or wait until I'm done?"

"Now." Jason had waited long enough.

"Lucky knocked on the door in Portland. We were staying at a motel and I ordered delivery to the room. I was too tired to deal with going back out. I didn't recognize his voice and when I looked through the peephole I saw the bag but not the person holding it. Just opening the door was not one of my brighter moves. I closed the door, but he kicked it in." Elizabeth said shaking her head. "Since then knocks on the door make Cameron nervous."

Jason moved behind her and put his arms around her waist. "You said you stabbed him."

"Yeah, in the side. I wouldn't have hit anything vital, the knife was sharp but short. I have another one upstairs." She confessed. It was under the mattress to keep Cameron from finding it. "He was walking out of the room with Cameron in his arms. I don't even really remember moving, but he was falling and yelling in pain. I grabbed Cameron and ran."

She was shaking. Jason took over stirring and urged her to turn in his arms. He no longer cared about the hot chocolate, but knew Elizabeth would get upset if it burned. When it was ready he poured it into the mugs. After putting the pot down he held her tight. "What happened at your house?"

"He broke in. Jimmied the backdoor and attacked me in bed. I wasn't badly hurt that time. Just bruises." Elizabeth knew what he was going to ask next.

"And the time you were in the hospital?" Jason rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Coming home from the three to midnight shift. It was a five block walk. A guy passed me and wham he hit me. The rest of the attack is pretty much a blur. Just a lot of pain." She shivered hard and Jason tightened his hold. "He never touched my pants."

"What?" Jason asked trying to come back from the edge of rage.

"The police said it might have been an attempted rape, but the guy never touched my pants. He was pretty thorough in beating the crap out of me. I don't think I was supposed to survive." She said burrowing closer.

"My guy left today. I got a call that he landed. No matter where that piece of shit is hiding we are going to find him." Jason told him. He wouldn't stop looking until they did.

"I know." Elizabeth did. "Want to talk about the new job now?" She couldn't handle more heavy talk. The day had been too stressful.

"Okay. Let's sit down." It was only eight-thirty but he figured she'd be turning in soon.

"Would you like for me to take the job?" Elizabeth started right in.

"Security wise it would be better." Jason knew the school was secure. "Cameron will be attending so having you there would help with that. I'd love to have him there for Pre-K." Jason admitted. "I'd like for you to take the job, but if you choose to stay at the hospital we will make that work as well." Emily's security was already easier, now that she was a fellow.

"I like the thought of something easier, and I do like children." Elizabeth was thinking out loud. Jason just nodded encouraging her to continue. "But I feel like I'm being lazy."

"You don't have to stay there for the rest of your career." Jason pointed out. "You could do it for a year or two and then go back to the hospital if you wanted. With you being off for the summer it would be a good time to travel. Anywhere the two of you would like to go." He was hoping that Cameron would enjoy seeing other places.

"There is a part of me that worries that Leyla will feel like she's won if I leave." Elizabeth knew it was petty, but she didn't want the annoying bitch feeling that way.

"Don't let Leyla factor into your decision. She's taken up enough of your energy." Jason was going to do what he could to make sure Leyla's time at GH was short. No one messed with his wife.

"I'll give it some thought." Elizabeth decided sipping her drink. "Thank you for breakfast this morning. How early do you get up?"

"Usually I'm moving by five." Jason laughed at her face. "I don't need a lot of sleep."

"Are you worried about Cameron roaming around, because I told him not to unless he was coming to get one of us?" Elizabeth had made sure he understood he wasn't in trouble. She just didn't want him getting into something he shouldn't.

"No. Johnny is not a morning person. The guys know to call me if something needs to be handled, so I'm up. I usually hit the gym and do some laps." Jason explained. He liked it best when the gym was empty.

"You can swim." She smiled. "Cameron wanted to know. He wanted to know if you would come to the pool with us. I need to ask Emily to give me the swim teacher rates." She totally forgot.

"Twenty-five dollars for an hour's lesson. Johnny set up the lessons. I'll get the information and add Cameron on. We can split the cost." Jason knew the woman had said that she could handle up to four kids.

"Okay. Do you know how much Johnny pays Georgie? She said she doesn't discuss client pay rates, which I respect. She also said he gives her a flat rate." Elizabeth sipped more of the decadent drink.

"One hundred dollars for the night." Jason laughed when Elizabeth's eyes got wide. "They have it worked out so that he gives her the flat rate that way they aren't pressed for time. Some nights are short and others long."

"It balances out eventually." Elizabeth understood. "Would we do the same thing?"

"Yeah. It's just easier. Georgie is saving up to go to Europe and she won't let Francis pay for the trip." Jason knew that Francis was still upset about that.

"She isn't dating Spinelli." Elizabeth passed along.

"They broke up?" He just saw his tech guy today.

"No, they were never dating. Francis had it all wrong and that led the rest of you to have the wrong idea." Elizabeth said smiling.

"Good to know." Jason didn't really care either way. He liked Georgie she was quieter than her sister. "So can I walk you to your room?" He gave her a sexy grin.

"I think I can deal with that." She said playing coy. "It's getting kind of late."

Jason got up and pulled her chair back and quickly put their cups in the dishwasher. Upstairs outside her room he held her close and kissed her. This time he let his tongue caress her lower lip in a silent request for her to open to him. She did and he growled in pleasure as she moaned in delight. When they parted her bee stung lips made him want to take her mouth again. "Good night baby."

"Night." Elizabeth said moving into her room on unsteady legs. Best part of the day, she couldn't wait until tomorrow night.

Elizabeth was slipping into her shoes when the doorknob to her room rattled. She only locked the door when she was getting changed. Cameron had yet to master knocking each time he wanted to come in. Opening her door she saw her son standing in the hall fully dressed. "Good morning."

"Morning mommy, I smell bacon." Cameron said smiling.

"Me too. I guess Jason cooked for us again." Elizabeth bent down and tied her son's shoes. "I wonder what else he made."

"I like it when Jason cooks." Cameron said shyly.

"Maybe someday you'll be able to help him like you do me. Would you like that?" Elizabeth asked looking Cameron over. He was in jeans and a t-shirt today. Not one of his cartoon shirts but one of his plain shirts that he wore under his button down shirts. He had dressed the same way yesterday. It didn't take a long mental walk to figure out why he changed how he dressed.

"Yes." Cameron said nodding at the same time. "Can we play my new game again tonight?"

"I don't see why not." Elizabeth said taking his hand and heading downstairs. When they reached the bottom Cameron let go and ran to the kitchen.

"Morning buddy. Ready for breakfast?" Jason asked noting that Cameron came in before his mother. He heard them both on the steps and then the little boy running.

Cameron nodded and sat at the table.

"Your mom said you like bacon." Jason said putting a plate down on the table. Cameron reached across and pulled it over. Elizabeth came in. "Morning." Jason said placing a soft kiss on her lips. "Have a seat." From the corner of his eye he saw Cameron watching them. The kiss seemed to surprise the little guy and Jason was guessing he'd never seen anyone kissing his mom before.

Elizabeth looked down at her plate. Big fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon and creamy polenta. It looked divine. She was getting spoiled already. "Thanks. Sit with us."

"Okay. Do you know what the yellow stuff is?" Jason asked Cameron as he sat next to Elizabeth.

The little boy shook his head no.

"It's call polenta. It's a common breakfast food in Italy." Jason explained. "I thought you might like to try it."

Cameron looked at the new food. It wasn't green so maybe it was okay. It smelled really good, kinda like corn. He liked corn. Mommy was eating it and she seemed to like it. Plus Jason made it and the stuff he cooked was always really good. Ben said his uncle made something called stirred fried and it was always yummy. He wondered if Jason would make them for him some day. Picking up his fork he tried a tiny bit and decided he liked it. He tried more and it was pretty tasty. He liked how soft it felt in his mouth and while it did taste like corn it tasted like butter too.

"Good?" Elizabeth asked as Cameron ate more of the polenta.

He nodded and his curls bounced.

"I think you need to get a haircut soon." Elizabeth noted. "Can you recommend a place for us to go?" It would be their first venture to a barbershop. Normally she just cut his hair at home.

"I could use a trim, would you like to meet me after work?" Jason offered. "I'll take you to my guy, after if you like him you can take Cameron or I can when he's ready." Johnny and Ben went together to get haircuts. Jason would like to do that with Cameron.

"Okay. I'll call you when I'm ready to leave." Elizabeth said finishing her meal. "That was wonderful. Time to brush teeth." Cameron had eaten everything on his plate. His pants were starting to creep up so it was time for new clothes. She was off tomorrow, it looked like she'd be doing some shopping.

When they came back down Jason was waiting. Together the three of them headed to the garage. At her car Elizabeth got another quick kiss before driving to the hospital.

"Mommy?" Cameron asked from the backseat.

"Yes, baby?" Elizabeth turned the music down a bit.

"How come Jason was kissing you?" No one ever kissed his mommy before.

"That's what husband and wives do. It means that he likes me." Elizabeth was trying to find a way to explain attraction so that he understood it. "Just like I kiss you to let you know that I care about you."

"Because you love me." Cameron liked getting kisses from mommy. "Does Jason hug you too?"

"He does." Elizabeth always felt safe with Jason's arms around her. It was a wonderful feeling to experience.

"Would he hug me too?" Cameron liked hugging. It always made him feel warm.

"I bet he would love to hug you. I know he likes it when you hold his hand." Elizabeth was encouraging her son to reach out to Jason, but she wasn't going to push.

"I like holding his hand too. It's really big though." Cameron said laughing.

"It is." Elizabeth couldn't help but think about the old adage of how a man's hand and foot size corresponded to other things. Jason's hands and feet were huge.

"I'm still thinking about it." Cameron told her.

Elizabeth knew that he meant Jason being his dad. Her little boy was deep thinker but once he made up his mind he generally stuck to it. "You can talk to Dr. Diane about it if that will help."

"Okay." Cameron said looking out the window. "Are we going to see my Grandparents soon?"

"Would you like that?" Elizabeth was surprised that Cameron brought it up.

"Only if Jason comes too." Those were his terms.

"I think he will." Elizabeth said smiling. "We are having dinner at Ben's house tonight. Are you ready?"

"I like Ben's dad. Maybe we could be friends. Not first friends though." Cameron made that clear.

First friends were important. It was from one of the cartoons he watched. First friends were your best friends. The people you were closest with. She was one of Cameron's first friends, she was guessing he wanted Jason to be another one. "First friends can't be just anyone." Elizabeth noted.

"Nope, you and Jason are my first friends." Cameron said solemnly.

There it was. She wanted to cry. Cameron already loved Jason. Her son was healing. They just needed to stay on this path and in no time he'd be just another little boy running around like a maniac. She cleared her throat. "Can Milo be your friend too?"

"Not yet." Cameron wasn't ready to trust everyone.

"Jason trusts Milo. He asked Milo to keep you safe." Elizabeth pointed out. It was important that Cameron not hesitate to go to the young guard if necessary.

"I know. If a bad person comes over I will go to Milo." Cameron promised. "Can Jason come up to bath time tonight?"

"I'll ask him when we get home." She would miss hearing Cameron chatter as he got clean but this was one more step in letting Jason in. In her little boy getting better. "We are here." Elizabeth parked and hand in hand they set out to start their day.

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